baeck+call is published once a year through The Leo Baeck Day School’s Communications Department and is distributed to more than 3,600 Leo Baeck parents, grandparents, alumni and friends of the school.
Editors
Janice Prazoff & Kaley Ames
Project Manager
Robyn Feldberg
Design/Layout www.snack.is
Printing
Incredible Printing
Photography
Justine Apple, Jordana Huber
Special Thanks
Linda Abramsohn
Wendy Kauffman
THE LEO BAECK DAY SCHOOL
501 Arlington Avenue Toronto, ON M6C 3A4
Phone: 416.787.9899
Fax: 416.787.9838
General Inquiries info@leobaeck.ca
@leobaeckDS
10 Years on Arlington
In August of 2012, we hosted tours of the new campus of The Leo Baeck Day School at 501 Arlington Avenue. Students from the Grade 8 class led guests around the building, pointing out the incredible elements that this space would bring to the educational experience at Leo Baeck. They also helped students navigate an environment four times the size of where we had lived for the previous 20 years. One particularly memorable moment of those tours was when a longstanding family entered our new gym. Their children had played soccer baseball among the furniture of a converted auditorium while we rented local community centres to host our home basketball games. As the doors to the gym opened, Peter Satok’s eyes grew wide in his head, and his immediate reaction was to get down in the middle of the floor and make dust angels with his arms and legs.
We experienced 20 years of incredible growth at 1900 Bathurst Street. Despite the limitations of the space we occupied, it became clear through those years that we could offer students an exceptional educational experience. These past 10 years have shown us that amazing things can happen when a space meets a program’s aspirations.
Three hundred and sixty students filled our classrooms on Bathurst. Today, 501 Arlington welcomes over 600 students each day.
The open design of this building provides access to natural light and a constant energy of connection. The many varied spaces provide opportunities for collaboration and creativity for both staff and students, and dedicated areas allow for student support in academics and socialemotional wellness. The Kimel Family Chapel has provided a spiritual home where we can foster the true spirit of a Leo Baeck education. We are the only Jewish day school competing in both the Jewish day school athletic league and the Small Schools Athletic Federation, with over 20 sports teams per year available to our students.
Peter Satok’s initial reaction to this building was a spontaneous expression of awe. The immensity of this space, and what it represented, inspired a true expression of astonishment. Ten years later we still feel the tremendous impact of this space. 501 Arlington bustles with community, vitality and student achievement. I can’t wait to see what the next decade will bring.
Eric Petersiel, RJE Head of School
A profile on the contributions of Principal Adina Lubek
“The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”
SIMON SINEK
The role of the school principal includes creating the pathway for the academic success of all students. It involves nurturing an environment where learning can be the primary focus of every school day. It requires encouraging the development of faculty as instructors and leaders. Finally, it includes excellent management of people, data and processes.
It has been four years since Adina Lubek took on the role of principal, creating stability, building community, and drawing on a love of Jewish learning.
STEERING THE SHIP
In 2012, Ms. Lubek experienced the transition from Holy Blossom Temple to the new building on Arlington, a time of pivotal growth for The Leo Baeck Day School. Nothing, however, prepared her for steering the ship through a global health pandemic.
Student and teacher safety could not be sacrificed, nor could education delivery. Distance learning required adaptation and innovation. Mental health supports required augmentation. Communication with families needed a new level of transparency and an unprecedented frequency.
From March 2020 until the final day of classes in June 2022, Ms. Lubek was a steady visible presence. She greeted staff and students each morning, attended to individual needs, and provided confidence in the path forward.
Her ability to remain positive, and demonstrate to others that this was possible despite uncertain and scary times, became a hallmark of her leadership. She gently reminded teachers, students and parents to support one another and manage the more intense moments by coming together. Ms. Lubek’s compassion helped her successfully lead during uncertain times.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
The IB Learner Profile that most relates to Ms. Lubek is "Balance." She jokes, "Nothing brings you down to earth more than recess supervision! Immersing myself with the children and in their play, getting into their world, and connecting with the students helps me reset and reminds me of my goal of fostering the growth of the next generation of Jewish children."
Ms. Lubek jokes that when she talks about her “kids and parents,” her husband has trouble distinguishing whether she is referring to their immediate family or her extended Leo Baeck family. It reflects the closeness she feels and the relationships she has built over her career.
When Ms. Lubek started her career as a student teacher at Leo Baeck, the campus was home to 167 students. Today, 501 Arlington is home to 600 students and 100 staff members. A big reason for this growth has been the ability to safeguard the feeling of community.
The value of community for Ms. Lubek is uniting people for a greater purpose and offering a sense of belonging. This greater purpose can be seen in everything from the unprecedented size of The Leo Baeck Parents’ Association to the growing and active grandparents committee. Belonging is what fosters an environment that is safe and supportive. It is also needed to confidently take the risks necessary for academic and social-emotional growth.
Part of Ms. Lubek’s commitment to building community is knowing every student’s and parent’s name and needs personally. One of the hardest parts of the pandemic for her was not having parents in the building and missing the richness they brought when participating in so many areas of student life.
Perhaps the best example of the power of community is the impact people of all ages and abilities can have when they extend kindness in moments of uncertainty.
Ms. Lubek’s go-to place on tough days is the preschool classroom, the place where she started her career as a teacher. The youngest students always remind her about what she loves most about her work, and the larger context of what she is trying to achieve.
One day this past year, she found herself in the JK classroom. A student came up to her and said, “Ms. Lubek, I’m having a Blue Day,” and proceeded to tell her about a challenge she was having with a friend. Ms. Lubek listened, marvelling at the term “Blue Day,” which she noted to personally adopt, and shared that she too was having a similar experience in her own life. They discussed some strategies that could work to solve both their problems, and each left uplifted. Everyone can offer kindness and support. However, a sense of community is what makes this accessible and safe to reach out and grab when needed.
A LOVE OF JEWISH LEARNING
Jewish pride is something you learn
Ms. Lubek received a formal Jewish education in Toronto, attending a Jewish day school for elementary and high school. She spent a year studying in Israel at the Hebrew University, developing a love for the country and deepening her commitment to Jewish studies. She earned a Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Jewish Teacher Education (JTE) from York University and later completed her Principal Certification. When it came time for her to do her teacher practicums, she knew she wanted to work at a Jewish day school. Few people know Ms. Lubek started at The Leo Baeck Day School as a student teacher, and this remains the place where she combines a steadfast commitment to academic excellence and the IB programme with a dedication to Reform Jewish life and education.
Ms. Lubek visits JK and SK classes to share stories that highlight the IB Student Learner Profile trait of the month.
A student chose to dress like Ms. Lubek on “Dress Like Your Teacher Day”.
Over Ms. Lubek's career, she has taught English, Hebrew and phys ed. She was also the Teacher Librarian and Literacy Coach.
Ms. Lubek never misses a Kabbalat Shabbat school service and is known for belting out L’Dor Vador and other songs along with the students.
While academic accomplishments are the goal of all educators, it is the Jewish milestones that give Ms. Lubek the most pride. The Grade 1 Aleph Bet ceremony where Ms. Lubek dresses up as the Melech Ariot (King Lion), and Passover in-school seders are among the magical moments Ms. Lubek notes lead to lives rooted in Jewish values.
Just as the IB programme prepares students to be global citizens, Ms. Lubek sees a Reform Jewish education impacting how students move through the world. Ms. Lubek, on 22 years at The Leo Baeck Day School. Thank you for your contributions, leadership and giant smile.
Ms. Lubek at a Torah Ceremony in her first year of teaching.
Ms. Lubek’s secret talent is designing the Admin Team’s Purim costume every year.
While her teaching experience focused on the younger grades, Ms. Lubek is committed to creating strong relationships with Middle School students.
Educating for an uncertain world
BY SHERYL FAITH, DEAN OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT & IB COORDINATOR
At The Leo Baeck Day School, we see students as collaborators. Our unique approach at Leo Baeck encourages a culture where students are purveyors of the future. Therefore, we have to be innovative about how we approach education.
OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT & IB COORDINATOR
In 2015, the World Economic Forum reported that 65 percent of students entering elementary school will have jobs that do not yet exist. This statistic was reported before the pandemic. The future is uncertain, but a strong foundation of education provides stability in a world we can no longer predict. This uncertainty calls on us to be creative and progressive about how we’re educating our students.
TEACHERS AS CO-LEARNERS
In the past, educators viewed children as empty vessels to be filled with information. We now know children have rich inner worlds and imaginations. They are fuelled by intense curiosity. Anyone who has spent time with young children knows that time is punctuated by the question, “what’s that?” An International Baccalaureate (IB) education harnesses a child’s curiosity from day one and fosters it through their developmental stages. This practice develops children into self-possessed learners with ownership over their intellect.
At Leo Baeck, educators value concept-based teaching over topic-based teaching. Concept-based learning asks, “what do we want students to walk away with having learned?” rather than “what facts about this topic do we want students to memorize?”. It shifts learning from topic silos into a world filled with interconnectedness. Teachers are no longer “sages on the stage,” delivering facts and figures from a chalkboard. Teachers set up the conditions for student exploration and are “guides on the side.”
In an IB environment, teachers nurture a child’s curiosity and are encouraged to tap into, and further develop their own curiosity. The IB framework does not expect teachers to know answers immediately. Instead, teachers and students explore concepts together and become co-learners.
The IB programme instills students with the life-long agency to be active in their learning. Teachers provide choice, voice and ownership over the learning process. At the beginning of a unit, a class may ask, “what do we know we’re going to need to achieve this goal?” They are given ownership of their learning and become active participants. For example, by cocreating an assessment rubric, teachers give students the understanding and ownership of the entire learning process. Rather than a top-down approach, this gives students confidence and visibility over their learning.
THE APPROACHES TO LEARNING (ATL) AS LEARNER BUILDING BLOCKS
The IB programme has a well-developed lexicon and a strong framework to support skills development. As it relates to transferable skills, everyone, both students and teachers, is on the same page. Teachers are accountable for instilling these skills, and students are not mystified about their learning. It is central to what we do.
In the early grades of the Primary Years Programme (PYP), teachers focus on self-management skills. Developing a child’s ability to regulate their emotions, establish routines, behaviour agreements, and gross and fine motor skills are all the building blocks of an excellent learner. They learn early research skills like choosing the appropriate item to fit the right kind of need and interviewing subjects to find out information. As students move up into subsequent grades, they shift from focusing on emotional regulation and become more independent students. They learn how to organize a binder, solve conflicts, and cultivate healthy friendships. Research skills become more complex, and students learn how to formulate good questions, proper sourcing and academic honesty.
As students graduate into the Middle Years Programme (MYP), their ATL skills progress further.
SHERYL FAITH, DEAN
They learn clusters and sub-skills, and skills development becomes more explicit. The common language shared between teachers and students becomes more important to achieve a solid learning base and self management tools for high school.
REFLECTING: GRADE 5 EXHIBITION AND GRADE 8 COMMUNITY PROJECT
Reflection is an essential IB skill developed through the student learning experience at Leo Baeck. Research shows that schools that cultivate a culture of reflection have higher student achievement and engagement. The Grade 5 exhibition and the Grade 8 Community Projects are the culminating projects of the PYP and MYP and allow students to demonstrate their skill of reflecting. The IB programme at Leo Baeck gives students rich opportunities to demonstrate their growing ability to reflect through these milestone projects.
The PYP exhibition is similar to a unit of inquiry. Students begin with the discovery stage. Teachers expose students to various topics that bring them to the investigation stage. Then, students build essential, critical knowledge and select a Sustainable Development Goal for their focus. They continue their work by taking action. Unconstrained by budget or design, students are able to take action wherever their curiosity leads them. Finally, they present their work to the greater community, demonstrating their capacity to reflect and bring forward their ideas.
The MYP Community Project gives Grade 8 students structured criteria that build upon their entire PYP and MYP experience. Students are tasked with reflecting on their entire elementary and Middle School learning experiences to select a project. Teachers assess students on their ability to plan, process, organize, and redirect when they encounter challenges. These self-management skills are critical for high school. Students are asked how the action of their project aligns with the goals they set for themselves. Finally,
students reflect on the suite of ATL skills and evaluate their strengths and areas for growth. This valuable reflection lesson provides students with a growth mindset and the knowledge that learning is an ongoing process.
THE FUTURE OF IB AT LB
Learning at The Leo Baeck Day School is boundless. Our unique approach encourages students to enter an uncertain future with confidence in their ability to contribute and make a difference in the world around them. Students and teachers share the richness of a shared language, a trustworthy educational framework in the International Baccalaureate programme, and a toolkit of skills to develop and grow. We are thrilled to chart a bold educational path with a united PYP and MYP so students can confidently chart their course in an uncertain world.
Students benefit from a blend of both independent and group challenges.
Grade 5 students test kinetic and potential energy by designing and building roller coasters.
A the Student Services Department
The Leo Baeck Day School is committed to making learning accessible to students of all learning styles. Leo Baeck teachers understand this and use best-in-class principles to guide students along their educational journey.
“We are working to create a more inclusive learning environment for students with diverse learning needs. We try to make as many accommodations in support of the needs they have. The more qualified teachers we have, the better we can support the success of our students.”
DANIELLE APPLEBAUM
DEAN OF STUDENT ACADEMICS
Because everyone’s path is a little different, Leo Baeck has invested in augmenting its Student Services under the leadership of Danielle Applebaum, Dean of Student Academics.
Ms. Applebaum’s role is to support students and their teachers to ensure academic success. She uses in-class observations and conferences and regular check-ins with teachers, students, and parents. She also pairs students with resource specialists in math, language arts and Hebrew across all grades.
Additional support can come from a need for remediation or enrichment, and Student Services manages both. For students, this means developing customized learning plans based on individual needs that provide the tools required to navigate their learning. For teachers, this means helping to plan lessons and support the implementation of strategies to enhance the learning experience of all students.
The Student Services Centre has five teachers dedicated to Student Services, up to 19 part-time classroom teachers, and two social workers. Students also benefit from the support of an occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist and physiotherapist funded by OHIP.
Student Services also supports a range of specialized programs, including:
IB AND STUDENT SERVICES
The philosophy of the IB Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme aligns with the inclusive design of Student Services. IB requires that teachers focus on a customized approach to learning within the classroom, representing the diversity of their learning community. This reinforces that learning is not one-size-fits-all and prioritizes seeing students as individuals.
IB encourages teachers to clarify which Approaches to Learning to focus on when assigning a particular task and promotes mindful teaching and learning. Approaches to Learning are five essential and transferable skills that directly impact student achievement, including:
1. self-management
2. communication
3. thinking
In an IB school, these five skills are explicitly taught and assessed. Student services teachers are often referring to IB’s Approaches to Learning in order to better understand what practices need to be further developed and applied with students.
“As a staff, we are engaged in Professional Inquiry Groups which allow us as professionals to investigate an area of pedagogy and grow from research and collaboration. I belong to a Professional Inquiry Group which examines Approaches to Learning Skills. Being a member of this Professional Inquiry Group teaches me how to integrate these important skills into my teaching and helps my students use and develop these skills in the classroom to be successful IB learners.”
NICOLE
BLACK, STUDENT SERVICES TEACHER
THE BONIM PROGRAM
The Bonim (Hebrew for “builders”) program supports the needs of students identified with a learning disability. These students are individually withdrawn from Hebrew or French for 30 minutes, four times a week to work with a special education teacher with training in literacy and differentiated instruction on basic literacy or numeracy skills. The goal of the program is to build their skills and confidence to successfully transition back into the mainstream classroom.
Prior to this program, these students would need to transition to other schools that could more closely match their learning needs, losing their opportunity to learn in a Jewish day school. The Bonim program allows The Leo Baeck Day School to make every effort to meet the needs of all students, regardless of how they learn or gaps needed to be filled.
“The Student Services Centre has supported our son since he started at Leo Baeck in Grade 1. The teachers and staff were amazing at recognizing his need for extra support and making sure he received it. We have been beyond thrilled with the special bonds our son has formed with his support teachers and how he has always looked forward to his time spent with them. We truly believe that the extra support he has received has positively impacted his confidence in the classroom.”
LEO BAECK PARENT
“I love what I do. I love seeing the change in the students that I work with. I feel that I have the best job in the school! Watching these kids grow and flourish is so rewarding.”
Certified Reading Recovery Specialist Melissa Levin helps Grade 1 students with one-on-one literacy support in a private space. Her work helps students develop into strong, confident readers.
The program has its success measured regularly. Many students enter with low reading and writing skills and conclude with grade-level or above gradelevel reading from this tailored approach.
“The creation of the Bonim program has allowed me to work with students daily on foundational skills and help them keep up with their classwork. I have really enjoyed watching these students develop confidence and discover their strengths.”
CAROLYN POLSTER, STUDENT SERVICES TEACHER
“We support the students using a holistic approach. The teachers in Student Services maintain an open line of communication with classroom teachers and the SocialEmotional Learning team to provide the most comprehensive support.”
JACLYN SAKS, STUDENT SERVICES TEACHER
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
The Leo Baeck Day School has made significant investments in its Social Work Department to support students’ challenges, especially during the pandemic.
Social workers support students one-on-one and provide large group experiences. In partnership with classroom teachers, administrators and families, they ensure a consistent and responsive approach to student needs.
Social-emotional support was part of Leo Baeck’s most recent strategic plan that called for an expanded social work team, with Division Coordinators providing an additional layer of support to classroom teachers.
Through a collaborative approach, administrators and teachers work to provide consistent and responsive support to students.
“My role is to respond to individual strengths and weaknesses in order to improve student achievement and their overall well-being. Additionally, I work with Middle School students on strategies for their executive functioning skills, such as organization and time management.”
SHARI ZACKS, STUDENT SERVICES TEACHER
“My role in the Social Work Department connects me to the whole school, from JK to Grade 8. I provide preschool teachers with social-emotional learning lessons such as the importance of social play, how to cope with feelings, how to have a flexible mindset, how to teach, inspire and support self-regulation and self-esteem. Another part of my role is providing help to Middle School teachers for their advisory classes, where I focus on respect and friendship. My goal is to help our Middle School students develop and refine the tools they need to navigate high school.”
MEISELS, SOCIAL WORKER
A FOCUS ON MIDDLE SCHOOL
To support important transition years, Shari Zacks, a veteran teacher at The Leo Baeck Day School and member of the Student Services team, focuses on augmenting executive function skills.
These critical tools prepare students for Middle School and later, for high school. Ms. Zacks works in the classroom, assisting students requiring extra attention, and with small groups outside of the classroom to maximize learning and build confidence.
The Leo Baeck Day School continues to be at the frontier of inclusive education, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive socially, emotionally and academically. “We work closely with the classroom teachers throughout the year and provide strategies and feedback along the way regarding differentiating the curriculum to ensure that all the students are being supported and challenged,” shared Jaclyn Saks.
LAUREN
Full-time Student Services team. (L-R): Jaclyn Saks, Carolyn Polster, Nicole Black, Melissa Levin, Danielle Applebaum and Shari Zacks.
BY KALEY AMES, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Tikkun Project update
Connecting K-8 classrooms with tools for social justice education
What started as a pilot project is now in its 5th year and across all grades at The Leo Baeck Day School. At its inception, The Tikkun Project was placed in the capable hands of Dan Abramson and continues to be supported by the Arthur N. Bielfeld Fund for Social Justice Education and other donors dedicated to transformative education.
The Tikkun Project, rooted in Jewish values, is changing the way students tackle local and global issues and is boosting confidence in their ability to bring about meaningful change. It puts social action at the heart of the Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum and turns UN Sustainable Development Goals into educational targets.
The word Tikkun, which means to fix or repair, is most often seen in the context of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. The Tikkun Project’s name, however, intentionally opens a space for students and teachers to explore two other important types of repair. Tikkun Nefresh and Tikkun Ha’am are vital to forming identity and healthy enduring communities.
Tikkun Nefesh is the concept of looking inward to inspire and encourage oneself to make personal improvements. Tikkun Ha’am means repair of the people and connotes the concurrent need to examine one’s community as an equally important driver in bringing about lasting and meaningful change based on shared values.
For teachers, the Tikkun Project provides an educational framework and methodology that can be applied across the Ontario curriculum to integrate concepts such as community wellbeing, accessibility, environmental stewardship, homelessness, immigration, and diversity. For students, the Project fosters a sense of agency and the ability to tackle these real-world problems through social action.
Over the past four years, the Tikkun Project was piloted in K-8 classes at The Leo Baeck Day School. Units were collaboratively designed in consultation with a broad group of expert educators and with the ongoing guidance of committed community partners.
“Tikkun units offer teachers opportunities to engage their students in identifying issues and then thinking critically as they plan ways to take actions. Curriculum becomes relevant in new and exciting ways as student agency grows.”
RICKI WORTZMAN FACULTY COACH
“The Tikkun Project is an integrated curriculum for K-8 students that is rooted in best practices of critical thinking pedagogy and action learning. Best of all, it is easy for teachers to adapt to the needs and realities of their respective students and socio-economic contexts. Based on my experience as a teacher and administrator, this is a unique and rich resource.”
MICHAEL COOKE PH.D. VP ACADEMIC (RETIRED)
GEORGE
BROWN AND LOYALIST COLLEGES
To date, partners of the Project have included JIAS Toronto, Ve’Ahavta, Toronto Zoo, Romero House, Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, Na Me Res (Native Men’s Residence), Rick Hansen Foundation, Sistering, Millennium Kids, and other experienced educators, including Dr. Jill Andrew MPP and Kim Wheatley, an Anishinaabe Cultural Consultant.
What makes Tikkun Project methodology unique in the field of education is its ability to bring together critical thinking, Jewish values, and hands-on actions. It encourages students and teachers to consider both ‘emic’ and ‘etic’ perspectives in learning by asking students to look at problems from multiple viewpoints. Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences and beliefs and how these differ from others’. This strategy helps students seek out and identify alternative perspectives and unique insights that they might not otherwise consider.
Another unique element of the Tikkun Project is the tools for teachers to support students through the investigation of Jewish texts. These tools connect Jewish ethics and values with a framework for engaging in social action. At The Leo Baeck Day School, students used Jewish texts to inform their strategies to solve real-life questions in ways that are reflective of the tenets of Reform Judaism.
In addition to teaching impactful social action skills, the Tikkun Project makes Jewish education more relevant by connecting day-to-day actions to students’ identities as Jewish people.
For example, Senior Kindergarten students developed an understanding of the text V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha (Love your neighbour as yourself), applying lessons about healthy food and creating a plan to
ensure all people in our community have fair access to healthy food. Students refined their plan using data management to survey favourite foods and used the new Canada Food Guide to evaluate healthy food options. They consulted with experts from a local women’s shelter to learn about the kinds of foods the clients liked best and then worked together to prepare jars of homemade soup that they donated to the shelter’s clients.
In Grade 2, Leo Baeck students investigated ways that their actions could positively impact the environment. One class worked with experts at the Toronto Zoo to restore extirpated salmon to the local watershed. Another class worked with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to participate in wetland habitat restoration. Students also had a chance to learn about Indigenous beliefs about stewardship from Kim Wheatley, a local Anishinaabe Cultural Educator.
The next milestone for the Tikkun Project is to expand to other schools and communities. A group of educators are contributing sources from a range of religions and cultures to add diverse perspectives to the Tikkun Project Resource Bank with the vision that all schools will be able to adapt the Tikkun Project to reflect the cultural, social, economic, and political contexts of their student population.
It is with tremendous pride that the Tikkun Project has been presented at the IB Global Conference, for IB Schools of Ontario, and at the World Union for Progressive Judaism Conference and featured in the Julia and Henry Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education newsletter.
Dan Abramson, Tikkun Olam Fellow, planting seeds with a JK student.
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS BY GRADE
Kindergarten: Creating Individual and Community Wellbeing
We have a responsibility to treat others in a way that is fair.
Informed by the text V’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha (Love your neighbour as yourself), students are asked to create, refine, and implement a plan that will support others in the community that reflects their understanding of fairness and personal well-being.
Grade 1: Investigating Accessibility
Communities must be designed to allow all people to participate fully.
Students conduct an accessibility audit in the neighbourhood. Guided by the concept of Hachnasat Orchim (Welcoming others), students conduct an accessibility audit of the school and shape a researchinformed proposal to make the school accessible to more people.
Grade 2: Practising Environmental Stewardship
It is our responsibility to protect others by helping to ensure the well-being of the planet
Students practise being Shomrei Adamah (Stewards of the Earth), conducting in-school research on waste and water management practices to determine effective strategies and create a more sustainable learning environment.
Grade 3: Becoming a Positive Difference-maker
Individuals have the ability and responsibility to be agents of positive change.
Students research a diverse group of people who made a positive difference in their communities.
Students gather, create and rank a list of attributes demonstrated by these difference-makers and create a plan to practise these attributes and make a difference at home.
Grade 4: Investigating Experiences of Homelessness
Everyone has the right to a safe place to live and an adequate standard of living.
Students consider what makes a place a home and investigate what criteria would be used to define an adequate standard of life. Having learned about stereotypes in a previous unit, students investigate the diverse experiences, causes, and impacts of homelessness in the city.
Grade 5: Changemaking Through Engaged Citizenship
Individuals have a responsibility to participate in the creation of just societies and just societies should strive to create systems to protect all people. In this unit, students learn the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and explore how they are connected to important issues in their lives. Students consider Rambam’s Ladder of Tzedakah, and evaluate Hillel’s call to action from the text
Ein Ani Li Mi Li (If I am not for myself, who will be for me?). Students develop individual action plans to address a challenge linked to the Sustainable Development Goal of their choice.
Grade 6: Supporting Newcomers to Communities
Social Justice requires us to critically reflect on ourselves and our positionality and to consider the positionality of others.
Students research and gather data through historical and contemporary interviews of newcomers arriving in Canada. They use criteria derived from Jewish texts and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to evaluate how Canada has not met its legal and ethical obligations to newcomers.
Grade 7: Mitigating Environmental Harms
Individual actions can be necessary and also not sufficient. We must make personal choices and act for systemic change.
Students investigate the potential benefits and harms stemming from the manufacture, use, and disposal of consumer products. Students consider their criteria against traditional Jewish texts that suggest ethical sensibilities about people, stewardship and the earth.
Grade 8: Embracing the Strengths of Diversity
It is our responsibility to work in solidarity with others to achieve justice for all people.
Students first consider how they would define diversity. They look to identify ways that people in their school community are similar or different from one another. Students learn from and with one another to find common ground.
“The
has
Tikkun Project
inspired our students and staff to move beyond words into action; action that leads to change, that creates a more just and peaceful world.”
ADINA LUBEK PRINCIPAL
Im
Grade 5 student learning about other societies and the injustices that exist.
Giving back
In gratitude to all the supporters of our Annual & Capital Campaigns
The Annual Campaign supplements tuition revenue, enabling us to fund a range of innovative programs and initiatives. Capital Campaign dollars support special projects and help us maintain state-of-the-art facilities. We thank our generous and philanthropic community for helping us make Leo Baeck a place of exceptional learning.
Allan and Susan Fenwick with their grandchildren (L-R): Jack, Benny, James and Catelyn.
FENWICK FAMILY
“Jewish education has always been important to us, so we were very pleased when our children chose to send their children to Leo Baeck.”
SUSAN FENWICK
We currently have three grandsons at Leo Baeck. Jack is in Grade 6, James is in Grade 3 and Benjamin is in JK. In the fall, our granddaughter, Catelyn will be joining the Leo Baeck family.
Jewish education has always been important to us, so we were very pleased when our children chose to send their children to Leo Baeck.
When we think of Leo Baeck, the words nurturing and inclusive come to mind. We value the attention given to each child’s well-being and are continually
impressed with the creativity and high quality of education that is offered. Leo Baeck’s modern approach to Judaism honours tradition and aligns with our beliefs and practices.
In the past, we directed our funds each year to the Area of Greatest Need. Since 2020, we decided to support the students and staff in these unprecedented, challenging times by donating to the Health & Wellness Fund.
POLLACK FAMILY
Our family’s journey with The Leo Baeck Day School goes beyond the classroom. Three Pollack children have walked the halls of the school and Daniel served on the Board of Directors for several years. We have experienced firsthand the reciprocal relationship between Leo Baeck and the families who choose the school.
Leo Baeck is important to our family as a place for a progressive, Reform Jewish education. The rigorous International Baccalaureate programme aims to encourage a love of learning, risk-taking, and problemsolving, traits that we feel are important to foster in our kids. We appreciate the supportive community the school offers our children and know it will continue to be so for others in the future. Finally, the school has given our kids a strong sense of their own Jewish identity, helping them explore a variety of perspectives and feel a personal responsibility as Jewish individuals to do good in the world.
We donate to The Leo Baeck Day School in memory of our father, Lloyd Pollack, who understood the importance of Jewish education. We direct our support to the Tuition Assistance Fund to give the gift and right of accessing a Jewish education to a student in need.
FRIEDMAN FAMILY
Our family has a long history with The Leo Baeck Day School. My brother, sister, and I are alumni, and our late mother was very involved with the school. I fondly remember volunteering with my mother to fundraise for the school when I was a student. This legacy is something I am now passing on to my children.
We decided to support The Miriam Glaser Memorial Jewish Holiday Fund as a family. Miriam was a wonderful Hebrew teacher who cared about each student inside and outside the classroom. She taught our girls for many years and prepared them to lead Shabbat services at school. We wanted to support Miriam’s passion for learning and the excitement she brought to every Jewish holiday. We hope this gives each student a touch of Miriam and her spirit.
(L-R): Allison, Liv, Sydney and Michael.
(L-R): David, Jonathan, Daniel and Nancy Pollack.
In gratitude
Your commitment to Leo Baeck helps us build future leaders
Contributions by Fund:
Total $811K
$244,062
School’s
Greatest Need
$202,922
Capital
$116,759
Tikkun Olam
$101,505
Special Needs
$82,496 Health & Wellness
$34,556 Tuition Assistance
$16,351 Student Services
$12,416 Other
Thank you for your contributions to our Annual Campaign funds:
TECHNOLOGY FUND
The cycle of technology is faster than ever. Critical classroom technology such as SMART Boards requires regular maintenance and replacement. This fund allows us to sample newer technology while being thoughtful about replacing existing technology. iPads, laptops, robotics and other technology, are also supported by this fund.
MIRIAM GLASER MEMORIAL JEWISH HOLIDAY FUND
This fund enables us to mark exciting Jewish moments, invite guest speakers to our school, and provide powerful, hands-on learning. Your donation will enrich the Jewish experiences and celebrations for our students and the school community.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Teacher training and workshops to support our student’s social and emotional needs are made available through generous donations, which allow for expanded guidance and resources. Funds support programming to address needs such as pandemicrelated anxiety and parenting supports. This fund invests in the overall wellbeing of staff and students.
2021-22 campaign donors
Gifts
received May 29, 2021 – May 29, 2022
Linda Abramsohn
Daniel Abramson
Cindy and Neil Abramson
Jamie Abtan
Rosanne and Steve Ain
Ruth and Terry Altman
Alexandra Bongard and Elijah Antflick
Michelle Burke and Jordan Antflick
Simmie Frieberg Antflick
Applebaum Family
Mira and Kyle Appleby
Sharon and David Appotive
Yoni Silberman and Ryan Appotive
Association of Hebrew School Educators
Axmith Family
Harvey Wise and Richard Azevedo
The Azrieli Foundation
Nancy Baker and Family
Aylene and Bernie Balinsky
Marilyn and Michael Bank
Doren and Effi Barak and Family
Barsky Family
Ruth Barth
Gail Silverman Bass
Kimberly and Tal Batalion
Anat Cole and Oren Baum
Elissa Kline-Beber and Justin Beber
Lindsay and Adam Beder
Dr. Rhonda Wilansky and Israel Ben-Ishai
Gillian and Barry Berens and Family
Rabbi Arthur Bielfeld
Mary and Benny Bien
Michael Bien
Esther and Shuki
Birenzweig
Lora Sloan and Jeffrey Birman
Morli Shemesh and Marc Bissell
Nicole and Jordan Black and Family
Bonnie Bloomberg
Dana Blufarb
Laura and Hartley Blumenfeld
Christine and Russ Blumer
Janice and Jeff Bly
Amy and Chuck Boddy
Linda and Isaac Bogoch
Jerry Boman
Bonkowski Family
Natalie and Ian Bookman
Susan and Abraham Born
Esther and Allan Bortnick
Sarah and Donald Borts
Rebecca Drory and Robbie Bossin
Erika Rubin and Adam Breslin
Eve Halpern and Jerome Breslin
Courtney and Stephen Brown
Fern Lebo and Alan Brudner
Robyn Buchman
Lindsay and Adam Budd
Susan and Marvyn Budd
Yvette and Randy Burke
Erica Mendelson and
Stephen Burns
Marcia and Alex Burstein
Jennifer and Jason Burstein
Susan Kellner and Gad Caro
Jennifer Kaplan and Brandon Carson
Marci and Dan Cashman
Cindy and Garry Cass
Jessica Cavdar
Amy and Fred Cohen
Ellen and Ron Cohen
Joan and Zane Cohen
Sandra Cohn
Shoshi Greengarten and Adam Cooper
Anna and Henry Cooper
Sharon and Jerry Cooper
Maura and Harvey Cooperberg
Naomi Lipsky Cracower and Allan Cracower
Laura Crangle
Robin and Eli Cranley
Rivka Cranley
Lisa and Jeff Dack and Family
Laurie and Michael Davis
Gail and Stan Debow
Elisabeth and Marc Demone
Nina and Harvey Diamond
Tina Urman and Carey Diamond
Shelby Gold and Cole Diamond
Amanda and Jonathan Diamond
Janette and Michael Diamond
Katie Cohen and Shayn Diamond
Carol and Sheldon Diamond
Karen and Stephen Diamond
Lindsay and Adam Ditkofsky
Susan Duviner
Debby and Gerald Edberg
Linda Groll and Roger Edwards
Michal Shekel and Carl Ehrlich
Karen and Tom Ehrlich and Family
Erin and Alon Eizenman
Meg St John and Erez Eizenman
Ronit and Moshe Eizenman
Lynda and Jeffrey Engel
Lianne and Darren Ezer
Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin and Hershell Ezrin
Alysa-Beth Engel and Mitch Faigan
Sheryl Faith and Family
Brenda and Gary Faktor
Rochelle Feldberg
Toby and Saul Feldberg
Howard Feldman
Samantha, Michael, Emmet and Caleb Feldman
Helene and Robbie Feldman
Sara Feldman
Allan and Susan Fenwick
Daphne and Kyle Fenwick
Miriam and Stanley Fienberg
Ronni Fingold
Rosa Firsten
Helene and Allan Fishman
Leanne Campbell and Ken Fishman
Melannie Axler, Rob Flicht and Family
Claire Flotner
Barbara and Gary Fogler
Gladys and Lloyd Fogler
Joanne and Garry Foster
Julie Michaels and Joseph Frankel
Nancy and Marty Frankel
Jaclyn and Adam Freedman
Julie and Andrew Freedman
Patty and Allan Friedland
Allison Cepler and Michael Friedman
Penny Fine and Hugh Furneaux
Karen Fuss
Shayna and Sean Galante
Ruth and Alby Garbe and Family
Celine and Ian Garry
Rabbi Steven Garten
Carole and Howard Gelfand
Aggie and Joel Geller
Syndie Geller
Jonathan Ain and Sam Gershkovich
Eleanor and George Getzler
Wendy and Matthew Getzler
Heather and Eddie Gilbert
Glick Family – Jeremy, Karen, Jacob and Hannah
Marsha and Harry Glicksman
Janice and Abe Glowinsky and Family
Lillian and Norman Glowinsky
Sharon and Steven Gold
Elaine and Morty
Goldbach and Family
Marlie and Daniel Goldberg
Nazli and Axel Goldenberg
Ronit and Eran Goldenberg
Rachel and Avi Goldfarb
Gayle and Harry Goldgut
Joni and Wilf Goldlust
Christina Laing and Aaron Goldstein
Janet and Howard Goldstein
Jessica and Ira Goldstein
Carol and Lorne Goldstein
Leanne, Zach, Sloan and Charlie Goldstein
Goldsweig Family
Goodman Family
Haviva Levstein and Rob Goodman
Susan and Philip Gordin
Ashley and Bradley Gordon
Debby and Jeffrey Gordon
Cynthia Freeman Gordon
Kayla Goren
Aviva and Matt Gottlieb and Family
Grad Family Foundation
Honey and Sam Grant
Eric Green
Mimi and Terry Green and Family
Danielle and Cory Greenspan and Family
Sarah and Jason Greenspan
Doreen and Jerrold Greenspan
Irina and Avi Greenspoon
Merle and Ira Greenspoon
Jennifer Ehrlich and Jonathan Greenwald
Linda and Lorne
Greenwald
Eadie and William Greisman
Bonnie and Brandon Gremont
Barbara Grossman
Debby and Denny Grubbs
Shibli Haddad
Erin and Brandon Hafner
Beth Abramson and Andrew LB Hamlin
Michelle Hanna
Harlang Family
Edie and Robert Harlang
Elaine Harris
Diane and Gary Harris
Alicia and Henry Harris and Family
Adina and Andrew Hauser
Naomi and Max Hayman
Jo Ann and Mike Heale
Joan Starkman and Aaron Hendler
Marilyn Herbert
Dr. Paul Herbert
Allison, Joel and Max Herscovitch
Herskovits Family
Rachelle Mazin and Mark Hines
Roby and Ted Hochman
Tamara Grundland and Daniel Hoppe
Rochelle Chester and Daniel Horwitz
Marsha and Earl Hurwitz
Beth Wassermuhl and Yoav Ickowicz
Joel Jackson
Elise Jankelow
Jeff Jankelow
Janks/Singer/Kahn Family
Michele and Martin Janks
Ellen and Sid Jelinek
Glynis and Jack Jerusalim
Elaine and Seymour Joffe
Moti Jungreis
Janice and Ken Kallish
Yael and Dan Kanter and Family
Alana Kaplan
Norma Caron and Jan Kaplan
Karpel Family
Maxine and Ivor Karpel
Danielle Himel, Allan, Jonah and Dylan Kates
Sharon Kates
Robyn Feldberg and Jarred Katz
Neil, Malcolm and Julian Katz
Katz Family
Alana and Mark Katz
Kay Family
Noreen Kay
Lisa and Stuart Keshen and Family
Paulette and Amnon Kestelman
Melissa Muskat and Miles Kettner and Family
Andrea and Andrew Kirsch
Carol and Mark Klaiman
Kathy Klar
Amy and Justin Klein
Francie and Stuart Klein
Hannah Bank and Robert Klopot
Shelley Klugman
Alana and Gregory Konopny
Ian Korman
Michelle Gordon and Josh Koziebrocki and Family
Susan Himel and Neil Kozloff and Family
Rita Krasnov
Alex and Brad Krawczyk
Rona Krawczyk
Barbara and Henry Krieger
Nancy and Irv Kumer
Mariann and Lorne
Kumer and Family
Dinah and Howard Kutner
Diana and Michael Kutner
Jessica and Sean Lasko
Nancy and Frank Laurie
Bonnie and Nathan Laurie
Gaye and Jean-Pierre Lefebvre
Alan Lerman
Maxine and Maish Levin
Lorraine Fairbloom and Michael Levinson, Jamie and Cara Levinson
Rachel and Ari Levstein
Dina Kulik and Andrew Levy
Michael Levy
Alexa Lewis
Kelly Grant and Michael Lewis
Elana and Mike Lewis
Dena Libman
Judy and Mark Libman
Annette and Adrian Lichtman
Nina Politzer and Alec Lightstone
Laura Goldstein and Eli Lipetz
Amanda Steiman and Nathaniel Lipkus
Rose and Norman Lipson
Elizabeth and Phillip Litowitz
Baila and Marvyn Lubek
Lungu Family
Carole and Arnold Machtinger
Tima Steinberg and Jason Machtinger
Valerie Mamann
Caroline and Danny Mandell
Sherry Mandell (Glickman Family)
Dana and Jay Mansoor
Jodi and Moish Margolis and Family
Karen Budahazy and Avi Markus
Faktor-Marr Family
Miriam Aronowicz and Brent Martin
Dr. Joel Maser
Maureen and Gerald Mazin
Karen McFarlane
Carolyn and Milton
Mednick
Lauren Bondar and Elliot Medoff
Sunny and Sean Menkes
Christine Viinberg and James Merkur
Marilyn and Saul Merrick
Audrey and Lucian
Michaels
Leanda Miller
Lynne and Michael Mitchell
Marni Banack and Ben Mogil
Susan and Norman Mogil
Marnie Filderman and Jaret Moldaver
Dara and Andrew
Moncarz
Moness Family
Sandy and Steven Moranis
Karen Jalon and Moshe Morris
Doris and Robert Morris
Ruby Moscoe Family
Moskovitz Family
Jennifer and Benjamin
Nadler
Michelle and Gavin Naimer
Nayot Family
Bari and Ian Nefsky
Haley Morrison and Pablo Neiman
Lara and Joshua Neuman
Shelley Norris
Kim Kozloff and Jeremy Nusinowitz
Cindy and Michael Opler and Family
Enid and Ralph Orvitz
Mandie and Zvi Orvitz
Paula Fishman and Michael Ostfield
Rachel Mitchell and Jeremy Otto
Ashley Steinhauer Otto and Jesse Otto
Joanne and Jerry Ovsey
Jayme and Daniel Ozier
Sherri and Allan Palef
Erin and Marlon Paisley
Pasternak Family
Kim Pasternak
Jessica and Laurence Payne
Heather Brown and Eric Perelshtein
Tami Moscoe, Eric Petersiel and Family
Shauna and Steve Pichosky
Clare and Brian Pinchuk
Zoe Margolis and Julian Piper
Amy and Aaron Platt
Erica and Dean Podolsky
Larraine and Larry Podolsky
Jennifer and Daniel Pollack
Nancy Pollack and Family
Carolyn Polster
Cheryl and Alan Posner and Family
Stacey and David Posner
Ashlee and Doron Posner
Rebecca Cooper, David Poster and Family
G.K. Poster
Shelley Hornstein and Sam Rabinovitch
Karen and Ralph Rabinowicz
Radowitz Family
Jessica Green and Mitchell Radowitz
Natalie and David Rashkovan and Family
Jonie and Terrence Reiber
Mara and Pablo Reich
Phyllis Resnick
Lauren Greisman and Daniel Rethazy
Jordan Rich
Andrea Rifkin and Family
Nina Rothman, Eric Riz and Family
Beverly Roberts
Rachel and Marc
Robinson and Family
Irma and Morris
Robinson and Family
Sheila and Richard
Rodney
Gladys Rose
Irith Rosen
Debbie and Allan Rosenberg
Amy Rosenberg
Joanne Ross Freeman
Beatrice Rothman
Moira Sacks
Joanna Sadowski
Jaclyn Saks
Randi and Peter Satok and Family
Cheryl Sylvester, Robert, Aaron and Nathan Schenk
Gillian Eliahoo and Jason Shedletsky
Janice and Phil Shedletsky
Anita and Ralph Shedletsky
Francine and David Shields
Wendy Fine and Harry Shizgal
Jennifer Minuk and Kevin Shnier
Simmy and Robert Shnier
Barbara Silver and Posner Family
Nathan and Lily Silver
Family Foundation
Cheryl Glassman and Brian Simon
Pat and Pekka Sinervo
Mimi and Earl Singer
Iris Glaser and Eli Singer
Bonnie and Ernie Singer
Rebecca Greenberg and Marshall Singer
Judy and Barry Singerman
Miriam and Michael Slan
Slan-Jerusalim Family
Ronna Rubin and Phil Smith
Jenna Sobel and Family
Randi and Jeremy Solomon and Family
Michele Gilbert and Tyrone Solomon
Janis and Gary Soren
Lauren and Rob Spanier and Family
Fern Spencer
Ali and Jamie Spinner
Adele Sacks, Jamie
Spotswood and Family
Shari and Arthur Standil
Diana Shedletsky and Daniel Steinberg
Cheryl and Mark Steiner and Family
Debbi and Arthur Stern
Mona Strasberg
Students of JK1 20/21
Students of JK4 20/21
Students of 1B 20/21
Students of 2B 20/21
Students of 4C 20/21
Students of 5A 20/21
Students of 5B 20/21
Students of 5D 20/21
Students of 6B 20/21
Students of JK1 21/22
Students of JK3 21/22
Students of JK4 21/22
Students of SK1 21/22
Students of SK2 21/22
Students of SK3 21/22
Students of SK4 21/22
Students of Grade 2 21/22
Students of 3B 21/22
Students of 3C 21/22
Students of 4A 21/22
Students of 4B 21/22
Students of 5C 21/22
Students of Grade 6 21/22
Students of 7B 21/22
Students of 8C 21/22
Ellie Avishai, Brian Studniberg and Family
Etta and Alan Sugarman
Barbara and Marty Sversky
Tovah Tabacznik
Alina Tabak
Marilyn and Allan Taitz
Jackie Taitz
Jessica and Michael Tarr
Ellen and John Taylor
Gene Teeger and Family
Tishman Family
Carole and Stephen Title
Toste Family
Miriam and Michael Trehearne
Sylvie and Ilan Tsafnat
Esther and Alan Turner
Annabel and Stanley (Ted) Turner
Barbara and Stanley Tweyman
Ruby Knafo and Andrew Unger
John Uster
Rosie and John Uster
Tami and Mark Uster
Ilana Walderman
Walsh Family
Warshafsky Family
Maryn and Jason Waters
Anna Solomon and David Watkins
Joanne Weigen
Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation
Yotam Weiner
Dr. Solomon Joseph and Florence (Faigie) Weinstock
Stacey-Lee Harf and Robert Weiss
Lynda and Marvin Wenger
Brooke Werger
Patricia Title and Stuart Wilson
Jodi and David Winter
Michelle and Daniel Wittlin
Laurie Permack and Samantha Wolfish
Ricki Wortzman
Jodi and David Yackness
Nicole and Avi Yurman and Family
Sarah Yurman
Shari Zacks
Julia and Daniel Zatzman
Rebecca and Kevin Zicherman
27 ANONYMOUS DONORS
Your donation helps advance our mission in critical ways.
2022 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN TOP PRIORITIES
• School’s Greatest Need Fund
• Health & Wellness Fund
• STEAM Fund
• Student Services Fund
• Israel Engagement Fund
• Arts & Athletics Fund
• Tuition Assistance Fund
TO DONATE
To discuss your gift or dedication opportunities, contact the Development Office: development@leobaeck.ca or donate online at leobaeck.ca/donate
A charitable receipt will be issued for the full amount of your gift.
“The best thing in the world is to be the teacher who learns from our students, and you –the Grade 8 students – have been our teachers.”
RABBI NOAM KATZ DEAN OF JEWISH LIVING
Our students documented the stories of survivors who confronted the ultimate evil and who, despite the efforts to destroy them, rebuilt Jewish communities and continued the legacies of their forebears.
Over the course of the school year, our Grade 8 students, under the guidance of Lawrence Axmith, Desmond Bender, Michelle Kaplan, Alina Tabak and Seth Goldsweig, interviewed eight survivors and edited their stories to create this powerful documentary film.
To honour the victims of the Holocaust, and to maintain our promise to Never Forget, The Leo Baeck Day School hosted a Zoom event to commemorate this incredible project. We are so grateful for the participation from the following survivors:
Edith Gelbard
Sol Nayman
Jack Borenstein
Larry Anklewicz
Fran Petersiel
Milan Voticky
Gershon Willinger
Victor Moncarz
“This racial hatred will never be eliminated as long as there are bad people around. However, the younger generation has taken it on its own, to pass the word to future generations. I think I am part of the last generation that remembers what happened. It is programs like this that will keep it alive.”
MILAN VOTICKY
“What you have done is created an inheritance for generations that will follow us. You have done something that is incredibly important. Your children will not ever have an opportunity to meet a survivor. But through a program like Names, Not Numbers, they will meet eight of us. I thank you for what you have done. Your professionalism and artistry will stay with me forever. I really appreciate that and thank you for that.”
SOL NAYMAN
“The Names, Not Numbers program was a powerful experience for all of our students. For many, it was their first time having an up close face-to-face conversation with a survivor. Through the research, drafting of questions and the interview itself, the students became engrossed in the story of the survivor that they interviewed. The program enabled them to develop a high sense of empathy as they became more familiar with a personal account of the Holocaust than they ever have before. This is an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.” SETH GOLDSWEIG
“Through this experience I learned that I must use my voice to tell the stories of those who no longer can. It is important for us to document these survivors’ stories so we can tell our children and our children’s children.” NATHALIE SCHWARTZ, GRADE 8 LB STUDENT
“This project influenced me to not sit silent and watch hate and injustice happen, but rather to stand up against it, and to ensure that people who aren’t as knowledgeable about the Holocaust get educated.”
SAM DANKOFF, GRADE 8 LB STUDENT
“For me, our responsibility to carry this story forward, to carry it forward by our students, is something that these Grade 8s will carry with them and our school considers to be a most holy responsibility. Our Holocaust Education program has always been a key part of our mission as a school.”
ERIC PETERSIEL
Life & Legacy
Assuring Jewish Tomorrows
The Leo Baeck Day School continues to participate in the LIFE & LEGACY® program. LIFE & LEGACY® is a partnership between the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto and The Harold Grinspoon Foundation that promotes legacy giving benefitting the Toronto Jewish community.
This program secures the future of Jewish education. It shepherds the passing of our shared values l’dor v’dor, from generation to generation, and protects The Leo Baeck Day School’s vital work.
We interviewed former Leo Baeck parent and insurance expert, Darren Abrahams, about the LIFE & LEGACY® program, and why it is a wise investment.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE LEO BAECK DAY SCHOOL?
Philanthropic advisors indicate that long-term endowments are the key to unlocking an organization’s financial stability. Advisors recommend that by the year 2030, 20 percent of an organization’s operating budget should come from an endowment fund to maintain fiscal strength.
LIFE & LEGACY® secures The Leo Baeck Day School’s financial future.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN LIFE & LEGACY®?
LIFE & LEGACY® is structured so families from all financial backgrounds can participate. This breaks the barrier between large-scale giving and smart financial planning.
The legacy program helps to simplify, educate and engage new donors by only asking for a commitment to eventually make an allocation or direction in the future.
HOW DOES IT HELP THE LEO BAECK DAY SCHOOL?
Financial Planning Across All Incomes
Planning the security of your estate with LIFE & LEGACY® also ensures the financial security of The Leo Baeck Day School. Every contribution is meaningful, and will be used to protect the future of Toronto’s diverse, and well established Jewish educational institutions for generations to come.
Values Driven Investing 1
Values driven investing is how many families plan financially. LIFE & LEGACY® can be the perfect program for your family to tap into while navigating the insurance market. It is a wise financial plan that takes into consideration an entire family’s financial portfolio, and their values.
Values Driven Investing 2
Some invest with the only target of a highly secure outcome. Others invest based on their values. With LIFE & LEGACY® you get both. You are able to protect the future of Jewish education by securing the future of The Leo Baeck Day School. Your family is able to invest with confidence, knowing your dollars are going towards an organization that aligns with your values.
Why LB Is a Good Investment
Running a non-profit requires financial stability and long-term planning. The Leo Baeck Day School has a strong track record of fiscal prudence. LIFE & LEGACY® helps organizations leverage financial security by tapping into time-honoured financial planning. It’s a win-win for families, the Jewish community and The Leo Baeck Day School.
While annual gifts are essential to meet current and ongoing needs, a strong endowment will secure the future of our school.
Contact Michael Bien, Director of Development, to discuss your gift today. 416-787-9899 ext. 253 mbien@leobaeck.ca
“As
an insurance advisor, I see the power in Planned Giving strategies to help offset taxes while leaving a powerful gift, all without having to write a big cheque today or sacrificing other plans and goals.”
DARREN ABRAHAMS
Pairing Reform Judaism and IB
BY RABBI NOAM KATZ, DEAN OF JEWISH LIVING
Curious spirit, open mind, generous heart
“If Reform Judaism is to survive in [today’s world], we will have to go somewhat against the stream in a society in which the only constant is change, by creating a community that stands for something timeless...We must settle for nothing less than Tikkun Olam (Repair of the world) in our continuous quest to bring justice, peace, freedom, and enlightenment to the world...Our uniqueness derives from a blend of ethical, spiritual, educational, and cultural elements – a blend that is different for each individual but can be shared with fellow Jews in community.”
RABBI LAWRENCE ENGLANDER
These words, written by my mentor and friend, Rabbi Lawrence Englander – Rabbi Emeritus of Solel Congregation in Mississauga – get to the very heart of what our school, and Reform Judaism, sees as its foundational principles: change and timelessness. Repair of the world. The continued quest for justice, peace and enlightenment. An approach to Jewish life that varies for each individual while still drawing from shared commitments.
I brandish my inner smile whenever I hear my colleagues speak about the benefits of our International Baccalaureate (IB) education. I am delighted because I can describe Reform Judaism in much the same way, emphasizing critical thinking and inquiry while cultivating empathy, agency and global mindedness.
You can find the marriage of IB learning and Reform Judaism in every nook and cranny of our school. We weave it into Grade 3 and 4 weekly Torah discussions when we ask students, “In what ways are Avraham and Sarah risk takers?” or, “Where do you see good
RABBI NOAM KATZ DEAN OF JEWISH LIVING
communication skills in the builders of the Mishkan?” Middle School students make powerful connections between the stories of Chanukah, Purim, and modernday examples of antisemitism. Grade 5 classes study the biblical precept of Bal Taschchit (Do not destroy), as an ecological imperative to take care of our planet. The cross-pollination of the IB programme alongside deep engagement with Jewish values and texts can be found everywhere.
The intersection of IB and Reform Judaism extends beyond the classroom, tying our educational efforts to more spiritual ones. When I work with Grade 2 students preparing to lead a Kabbalat Shabbat service for the first time, I realize how unique this is. Our students learn a joyful blend of traditional and modern melodies in place of rote memorization and rushed recitation of prayers. They chant the names of the Matriarchs alongside the Patriarchs during the Avot v’Imahot. They learn how to participate and lead their community confidently in prayer and song. They reflect on the weekly Torah portion in a deeply personal, touching and often humorous way.
As I inch closer to my own “Bar Mitzvah” year at The Leo Baeck Day School, I think back to a decade ago when I first entered the Kimel Family Chapel at 501 Arlington Ave. I exclaimed, “Mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, mishk’notecha Yisrael! (How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!)” Formerly a colourless ‘cafetorium’ with little character or warmth, the space was reimagined to serve as our community’s primary gathering place.
While I contend that we can create holiness wherever we congregate, a beautiful space like our Chapel instantly transforms and elevates the Leo Baeck tefilah (prayer) and Jewish holiday experience. If its walls could talk, the Chapel would recount spirited Israeli song sessions on Yom Ha’atzmaut, as well as solemn ceremonies and powerful testimonials heard on Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron. Our Chapel has held beaming parents and grandparents cuddling with their JK and SK students at a family Shabbat. Its space has hosted Pesach seders that range in age and theme, from showing gratitude to the influential women who shape our lives at a Grade 6 Feminist Seder, to
welcoming young Christian and Muslim students to our Grade 8 Interfaith seder. Our Chapel allows us to congregate in numbers large and small, infusing the space with holiness, so its walls have a new collection of stories to tell.
Touched by these memorable Jewish experiences, Leo Baeck students are the next generation of Jewish leaders who will help our people thrive by adapting to the changing realities that surround us. We find ourselves in a time of healing, of renewal, in search of a more hopeful, just and compassionate future. Our unique blend of the IB programme, paired with a modern and progressive approach to Judaism, prepares our students to face new challenges with an open mind, curious spirit, and a generous heart.
I used to joke with people that my title, Dean of Jewish Living, meant I was here to keep everyone alive, Jewishly. But the opposite is true. My own Judaism has been sustained by students’ joyful faces and proud families at SK and Grade 8 Graduation, the beautiful array of voices that reverberate off the Chapel walls, and the deep and incisive theological questions that students of all ages raise. As I reflect upon 10 years of Jewish educational milestones that we have reached together, I take pride in the seamless blend of IB and Reform Jewish values that occur here daily. I know that The Leo Baeck Day School will continue to lead the way in innovative Jewish prayer, practice, thought, and action, blending sacred traditions with the desire to reinvent and write new chapters of the Jewish story.
Grade 7 students celebrate Passover with an Intergenerational Seder.
Students fill the Chapel for a school-wide Kabbalat Shabbat.
Rabbi Katz spends time in classrooms weekly, sharing stories from the week’s Torah portions.
IB@LB: Pages from our teachers’ planners
BY ERIN HAFNER, GENERAL STUDIES, PYP; JENNA ARENSON, MATH, PYP; AND MAGI BINYAMINI, HEBREW AND JUDAICS, MYP INTRODUCTION BY SHERYL FAITH, DEAN OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IB COORDINATOR
These IB@LB highlights can provide a glimpse into how IB planning is practically applied in the classroom and demonstrates how IB philosophy is beautifully aligned with our values as a Reform Jewish day school.
“I
got to learn about nature and what’s around me. So not only was I learning about science but things that are part of my everyday life. Working on my dream house gave me a chance to demonstrate my knowledge and be creative in my design.”
LOGAN, GRADE 4
Teachers and the IB Coordinator use the topics covered in the Ontario curriculum and find timeless, universal and transdisciplinary concepts to widen the depth and breadth of the learning experiences.
You will notice that teachers also plan and teach through the IB lens of student agency. They look for opportunities to provide students with voice, choice and ownership over the learning process. There is also a great emphasis on fostering global citizenship, which aligns with our Tikkun Project. The knowledge and skills that students develop in a unit is used as foundational learning for students to take action. Our teachers look for opportunities in the content to foster this authentic action, and allow students to feel that they have the ability to change the local or global community for the better.
These highlights allow you to see the rich and engaging learning that Leo Baeck students experience and provide a window into the incredible work of our IB teachers.
What were the lines of inquiry (PYP)?
The unit began by asking: are rocks or minerals important? Do we need rocks in our lives? Many said yes, but they were not too sure why they were important. Throughout the unit, I would ask students why specific rocks or minerals looked the way they did. Why are some rocks or minerals more valuable than others? This then would lead to questions and conversations like: Do the financial gains outweigh the environmental impact of mining?
What were the lines of inquiry?
1. Identifying and classifying rocks and minerals.
2. How rocks and minerals are extracted and its impact on the earth.
3. How rocks and minerals are used in our everyday lives.
Grade 4 Math
Name of unit: Rocks and Minerals
Central idea (PYP)/Statement of inquiry (MYP): Our use of rocks and minerals have an impact on the Earth and our daily lives.
What were the goals of the unit? (evidence of learning)
The goal of the unit was for each student to guide their own inquiry, have the freedom to pose their own questions and find their own answers through research and exploration. I wanted students to discover how many items they use in their daily lives that come from the rocks and minerals that surround them.
At the beginning of the unit, the students had many opportunities for exploration by making use of specific links on their Chromebook. For example, I created a rocks and minerals scavenger hunt online where they had to read about many different rock formations around the world. Students recorded what they had learned and what they still wonder. Students also worked collaboratively with one another by observing and testing different types of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. In their small groups, they discussed how they were different from one another based solely on their observations. We were also fortunate to have Crystal Cave Canada join our classroom. They shared a variety of fascinating minerals and fossils that the students had never seen before, and explained how they were formed and where they were found. Meredith and Matt Rudin (parents at Leo Baeck) also joined us through Zoom to share with the class how they use rocks and minerals to create jewelry. They explained how they use 3D imaging to create their jewelry and also discussed how minerals also have a spiritual aspect by sharing the background of each birthstone. At the end of the unit, students were asked to create their dream home by specifying specific items used inside or outside of their home. Their task was to explain which rock or mineral each item is made out of and research the properties to find out if it is a suitable material that could be used for their chosen item.
Erin Hafner
Grade 1 Language Arts & Social Studies (PYP)
Name of unit: Let’s All Play Together – Where We Are in Place and Time
Central idea (PYP): It is a community’s responsibility to make spaces welcoming for all.
What were the goals of the unit? (evidence of learning)
The first goal of the unit was to look at how we can make places in our community more accessible and welcoming to all members. The second goal was to audit our school playground and think of ways to make it welcoming to people of all abilities.
What were the lines of inquiry (PYP)?
1. What makes a place welcoming?
2. What barriers exist in our community/school that make it unwelcoming for its members?
3. How can we make our spaces/playground more welcoming and accessible for people of all abilities?
What were the lines of inquiry?
1. Essential and non-essential places in our community.
2. How communities make spaces welcoming for everyone.
3. Our responsibility as members of the community to make spaces more welcoming for everyone.
We began our unit by creating criteria for what makes a place welcoming. We then looked at our school and thought about what barriers would make it difficult for some people to use and enjoy the space. After learning about some people with varying abilities, we audited our school playground and thought about ways to make it more accessible and welcoming for everyone to play. It is powerful when the students start noticing places in their communities with accessible features. They begin thinking about ways to make some places in their neighbourhoods more welcoming for everyone.
A few years ago, this unit inspired one of my students so much that he decided to donate his money from his piggy bank to purchase a Stop Gap ramp for the school. Every time I see the ramp outside the Chapel doors, it reminds me how powerful and meaningful this unit of inquiry is for these young students. I also love that this unit fosters a sense of empathy and compassion within children at such a young age.
Magi Binyamini
Grade 6 Hebrew/Judaics
Name of unit: Breakthrough Contributions of Women in Modern Times
Central idea (PYP)/ Statement of Inquiry (MYP): The contributions of women in male-dominated fields in modern times
What were the goals of the unit? (evidence of learning)
To connect the students to Tanach by creating connections between the past and our present.
Unit highlights: Through the study of the Book of Judges, students were introduced to Devora and Yael. These two women made important decisions in areas of society that were dominated by men. In the times of the Bible, women were almost exclusively mentioned only in the context of marriage or childbirth. As a result, it is critical to consider the contributions of women beyond these spheres of life. This is an unusual and important thing to consider.
What were the goals of the unit? (evidence of learning)
The book of Judges opens the door for opportunity to focus on the impact of the female Judge – Devorah. Through our deep dive into her contributions to the Israelites during biblical times, we encourage students to think critically about the contributions of women in modern times. From Sally Ride, to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to Rosa Parks, our students considered the strength and contributions of women who broke through male-dominated fields. From rooting our learning in Judaics, we guide students to create connections with the student learner attributes. Students quickly came to realize that each of the women they had chosen to profile were risk takers who exemplified the best of the attributes we seek to develop ourselves.
It was exciting for me to see the students discover the difference that women have made in the world. The recognition of powerful women, and the recognition that so few women made it into the Torah. We learned that smaller actions can change the world, and how much potential exists for one person to make that change. This unit opened up a rich conversation within the classroom, where students considered where they may be capable of making a change in the world around them. This unit was very powerful, and I am inspired at the impact it has had on both myself, and the students.
“I chose Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she was not only a very good Supreme Court Justice, but she was the first Jewish woman to be a Supreme Court Justice. She inspired many people, including me, because she worked as hard as she could to make a difference in the world and set a high standard of justice.”
MAX, GRADE 6
LBPA community
When you join The Leo Baeck Day School, your children get an education, and your family joins a warm and welcoming community.
“Running the LBPA is a big job and responsibility, but it definitely has given me a sense of pride and accomplishment. I will cherish my time at Leo Baeck and the lifelong friendships I have made along the way.”
MEREDITH WENGER RUDIN, 2013-2016
The Leo Baeck Parents’ Association (LBPA) has one mission: to build community outside the classroom. The LBPA supports and enriches the school experience for students and families, to create a cohesive community, filled with events and programming, both inside and outside of school hours. The LBPA collaborates with grandparents and special relatives for engaging events and they help families give back through Tikkun Olam initiatives. The LBPA is the heart of the Leo Baeck community.
The LBPA has a class parent program, a teacher appreciation week, an adult night, school spirit events, a lunch and challah program, holiday treats and Passover seders, a book fair, after-school programs, skate day, Bingo night, and so much more!
“Doing this job is important and fun and allows for deep friendships and lots of laughter. It was an honour to serve the community.”
BONNIE BLOOMBERG, 2019-2021
As a community, we know that families are busier than ever. That is why the LBPA provides a seamless transition from the end of the school day with after-school programming and extracurriculars. They organize and run the after-school program to help alleviate the rush between the end of the school day and dinner time. The LBPA also runs the hot lunch program, providing families the opportunity to purchase lunch three times a week and a challah for Shabbat on Fridays.
The work of the LBPA is woven into the life cycle of the school year. Apples and honey are provided for each classroom when students learn about Rosh Hashanah. On Yom Hatzmaut, students march through the park with their Israeli flags and return to class to enjoy a delicious blue and white sprinkled donut. For Purim, the students and staff enjoy nut-free Hamantashen and gluten-free for those who have a gluten intolerance. The LBPA adds an extra layer of sweetness and tradition that students can look forward to for every holiday.
The LBPA recognizes the incredible passion and commitment of the teachers throughout the year with various teacher appreciation events. Over the last two years, the teachers truly went above and beyond. They stepped up during a global pandemic to support our students and families. The LBPA enhanced their teacher appreciation programs this year to show the teachers how appreciative the LB community is for their dedication and commitment.
Choosing The Leo Baeck Day School means joining a community of like-minded families who all share in the same goal of excellent education, with modern and meaningful Reform Jewish values. The LBPA is always looking for passionate family members who are looking to contribute to the exciting programming at school, or to create a new one! Being a part of the LBPA connects you, as a parent, to the place where your child/children spend their days learning and evolving. Please consider volunteering with the LBPA for the upcoming school year. The LBPA welcomes everyone, and it is their hope that you will get to experience the magic of Leo Baeck, firsthand, as a member of the LBPA.
LBPA volunteers preparing apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah.
LBPA Executive Members.
“We are grateful for every volunteer that has given their time to help foster our community at The Leo Baeck Day School. We are so lucky to have such passionate parents who give back to our teachers, staff, students, and each other. Thank you for making Leo Baeck such a special place for everyone.”
CARYN MARKMAN AND DIANA SHEDLETSKY, LBPA CO-CHAIRS, 2021-2023
“We learned so much from being co-chairs and grew a sense of pride from being part of the amazing Leo Baeck volunteer community. What has stuck out to both of us is just how much hard work the staff puts in behind the scenes to make Leo Baeck the incredible place that it is, and how much of a positive impact parents can really make on student life!”
SHAYNA GALANTE AND LAUREN GREISMAN, 2016-2019
“It was amazing to be a part of such a hardworking and dedicated group of women who were so invested in building a vibrant Leo Baeck community. The energy was always great and the desire to make each event creative and successful was always front and centre, whether it was book fairs, after-school programming, lunch programs, Welcome Back BBQ or adult nights.”
SARA ARNSTEIN, 2012-2014
“As a co-chair, l quickly learned about the vast array of projects managed by our LB volunteers. From the Welcome Back BBQ, to three rounds of after-school programs, themed nights like Bingo and the adult event, chagim, the Book Fair and the Spring Carnival – all to bring smiles to the students, connect families and create a vibrant and supportive community.”
ALLISON CEPLER, 2014-2016
“It has been an honour to serve these past two years on the LBPA. I’ve witnessed firsthand the dedication and passion that both the parent body and school administration have for our children and community. I’m proud of our collective accomplishments and look forward to the continued leadership and engagement of the incoming stewards of the LBPA, whose passion and commitment to the school is second to none.”
LAUREN WISE, 2019-2021
“I loved that, as a Leo Baeck parent, I was given the opportunity to volunteer. It was important to me and my children to witness firsthand the importance of volunteering and giving back to your community.”
JILL MORRIS, 2011-2013
749 slices on Pizza Day 700 donuts served at Hanukkah 36 new families welcomed into the community 600 books donated at Book Fair
mishloach manot baskets packed by students
186
families joined for Jr. Bingo night
1,000 books sold at the Book Fair 35 volunteers on the LBPA executive team volunteers over the year for various LBPA activities
LBPA volunteers handing out pizza for a spirit day. (L-R): Diana Shedletsky, Courtney Brown, Caryn Markman, Marnie Filderman.
Parent volunteers (L-R): Marc Demone, Lauren Greisman, Caryn Markman and Principal Adina Lubek.
Strategic Plan update
BY DANIEL RETHAZY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD; LISA DACK, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT AND ERIC PETERSIEL RJE, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Thriving through challenging times
The Leo Baeck Day School Board of Directors is tasked with ensuring that the school remains strong and vibrant for the next generation of students. The Board establishes a five-year Strategic Plan to sustain growth and guide the evolution of the school. As those five years come to a close, we are pleased to report that the plan was well executed and that many of the fundamentals championed by the Board came to fruition. We are proud of the school team’s continued dedication to achieving the goals outlined in the plan, and we are humbled by our community’s strength, resilience, and adaptability during these unprecedented times.
OUR MISSION
Leo Baeck, a nurturing and inclusive Reform Jewish day school, provides International Baccalaureate academics, paired with a modern approach to Judaism, honouring tradition and encouraging individual choice. We inspire students to be creative and critical thinkers who understand themselves and their responsibility to the world around them.
OUR VISION
To inspire our students to drive positive global change and strengthen the Jewish community today and in the future.
“This is an exciting time for Leo Baeck as we craft the strategic vision and strategy for our school for the next five years. We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made on our mission and vision. As we look to the future, we will continue to build on the momentum and strengths of our school, our staff, and the wonderful community of students and families.”
DANIEL RETHAZY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD
“Over the past five years, the school has made tremendous growth in all three pillars of the Strategic Plan. The Board is particularly proud of the school’s progress in academic excellence and social-emotional support which include the accreditation of the Primary Years Programme, the implementation of the new math curriculum and the additional layers of support for the social-emotional wellbeing of our students and staff. Jewish identity was further developed through the expansion of the Tikkun Project and financial sustainability and affordability were addressed through the implementation of Generations Trust, the development of a strong enrollment pipeline, and carrying out difficult decisions that have left the school in its strongest-ever financial position.”
LISA DACK, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
“The Strategic Plan which has guided us these past five years is the third in the school’s history. The deep thought which went into its preparation and implementation allows our team to focus on the most important aspects of our improvement – to strive for excellence in all areas of our operations. It places us in a peer group of CAIS-accredited IB World Schools with a unique Jewish lens on the world, and has set us up for the next generation of success at Leo Baeck.”
ERIC PETERSIEL, RJE, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Areas of Focus
Academic Excellence and Well-rounded Students
Primary Years Programme accreditation
Recertification of the Middle Years Programme
Reassessment of math pedagogy and adoption of new math curriculum
The hiring of a second social worker, followed by three division coordinators to support student wellbeing
Adoption of a Professional Growth Model of teacher evaluation
Establishment of a Professional Growth Fund for teachers
Strong Jewish Identity and a Caring Community
Expansion of the Tikkun Project with units being experienced by students from JK to Grade 8
Financial Sustainability and Affordability
Closure of the North Campus led to higher capacity utilization
Investment in recruitment programming and independent school admissions processes led to large waitpool of applicants
Participating in Generations Trust to support middle income affordability
Dramatic increase in Annual Campaign
Exploration of legacy giving through the Life & Legacy program
We are excited about the continued possibilities for growth as we look to the future. As this five-year Strategic Plan comes to a close, we look forward to beginning another new chapter at The Leo Baeck Day School, filled with goals to reach, opportunities for connections and an unexplored path to forge.
In gratitude to all of The Leo Baeck Day School Board Members over the past six years who crafted the Strategic Plan and supported the efforts to achieve the outlined goals (2016-2022).
Rabbi Arthur Bielfeld, Honourary Chairperson
Daniel Rethazy
Marc Bissell
Bonnie Bloomberg
Robbie Bossin
Leanne Campbell
Lisa Dack
Shayna Galante
Mitchell Glickman
Michelle Gordon
Rebecca Slan
Jerusalim
Karen Jalon
Caroline Mandell
Mandie Orvitz
Cheryl Silver Posner
David Poster
Mara Reich
Pekka Sinervo
Micki Mizrahi
Jamie Spinner
Eli Mogil
Daniel Pollack
Erika Rubin
Jeffrey Bly
Brian Radnoff
Jay Rolnick
Sara Arnstein
Claudia Aronowitz
Caroline Kowall
Janna Nadler
Brian Weiner
Shelley Weiner
Jamie Wise
Avi Greenspoon
Jeremy Burke
Bradley Lenet
Paul Leszner
Gavin Naimer
Mark Rolnick
Eli Singer
Marni Stepak
Carole Sterling
Admissions
BY JANICE PRAZOFF, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION
The 2022 graduating class, featured on our cover, celebrated a special milestone: they were our first JK class when we moved into Arlington Ave., marking the beginning of a three-class cohort per grade.
“The school experience is doing much more than educating our children. It is bringing culture and tradition into our daily lives at home. With each passing day I am more and more convinced that we have made the best possible decision for our children’s education and culture as well as our entire family’s spiritual development. You have something very special at Leo Baeck and we are extremely grateful to be a part of it.”
ERIC PERELSHTEIN
LEO BAECK PARENT
Moving into our new home on Arlington Ave. helped expand our offering in a space that allowed us to welcome a cohort of 66 JK students each year.
With each passing year, we have seen the number of applications rise. Demand is high for our unique program of pairing critical thinking from a Jewish perspective, with the International Baccalaureate’s emphasis on global-mindedness. Our student retention speaks to the alignment between our mission-based admissions process and the families who make up the community at The Leo Baeck Day School.
School choice is one of the biggest decisions that families have to make. Our approach in working with prospective families is ensuring that they understand what drives our pedagogy and the values that shape Leo Baeck holistically on a day-to-day basis. My goal is to guide families to understand that joining a school is far more than an academic choice, but also about mission and community.
Each year, we are proud to welcome new families that help move our mission forward, families committed to progressive, modern Reform Judaism, academic excellence, and the desire to be members of a nurturing community.
On a personal note, my eldest son is a part of this year’s graduating class.
Ten years ago, he started JK at Leo Baeck. I followed suit just a few months after, working with Adina Lubek when she began her role as the Preschool Coordinator. What I know firsthand is what I share with all prospective families. When you become a parent at Leo Baeck, you are joining a community that becomes extended family. You watch your children grow alongside their peers, and their families become your village. You champion one another when it is time to reach milestones, and are there to support one another during challenging periods (like a pandemic!). The journey ends with graduation, by bearing witness to the enormous growth and development your child’s cohort experiences between the ages of four and 14.
Perelshtein Family.
JANICE PRAZOFF DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION
Grads
Our graduates fondly reflect on their time spent at Leo Baeck
“Leo Baeck prepared me very well for my journey to high school. Entering Grade 9 at The Bishop Strachan School, I was worried that I might be academically behind those who had been there for many years. However, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I was not only prepared, but even felt as though I had an advantage over my peers. I consistently used the strong and broad knowledge I had gained from my years at Leo Baeck. From writing essays to science labs, I always remember lessons from Leo Baeck, and use them to piece together a stronger understanding of new concepts. I also found myself so far ahead of the Grade 9 math material, that I was moved to Grade 10 math within my first few months at BSS. As I move through high school, I will be forever grateful for the knowledge, preparation, and confidence that Leo Baeck has given me.”
ATTENDING BISHOP STRACHAN SCHOOL
“Leo Baeck has left me with memories that I will forever cherish, and friendships I will always have. The transition from LB to CHAT has been incredibly smooth. Every day I see familiar faces in the hallways in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, which makes me feel extremely comfortable at CHAT. Academically, I have felt quite prepared in math and science, and because of a strong foundation at Leo Baeck, I am becoming a strong writer as well. I will always be grateful for the time that I spent at Leo Baeck.”
ATTENDING TanenbaumCHAT
“Leo Baeck prepared me for high school academically. I learned excellent study skills at LB that have carried on into high school. I’ve excelled in many subjects such as math and English. I feel I’m able to manage the workload and have been able to make new friends. Leo Baeck has given me the confidence to socialize with all kinds of classmates and get involved in school activities. I really learned how to balance my school work and leisure time.”
